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4.VQL.TTC, NO. 48.$1.00 A YEAR.TOPEKA, KANSAS, HOVEMBEB 23, 1894.OFFICIAL STATE PAPEI.IRRIGATION.THAT'S WHAT ALL THE PEOPLE ABETALKING ABOUT.I The Kansas Irrigation Association Meet-in? at Hutchinson Proved to Be.4 a I4WT. Kftriftrtl.The agricultural mind of the West iabeing diverted from the question ofmarkets and transportation to that ofraising a greater variety of products,and to getting a greater amount fromleas ground. This ia bringing the science of land irrigation to be studied notonly by farmers but those whosa inter-esta are directly connected with thoseof the farmers. In fact, irrigation hascoma to ba one cf the most interestingand important subjects cf discussion,and is even now forcing itself into ourstate and national law-making departments. It long ago began to attracttha attention of manufacturers of agricultural appliances, and the progressrecently made by them is indeed wonderful. The second annual convention of theKansas Irrigation association was heldin Hutchinson, Kas., November 23 and24, and it was probably better attendedand more practically conduoted thanother meeting of a similar nature inthis or any other state. The men whoaaofficial duty it was to prepare for it havestudied the snbjact of irrigation untilthey know the points about it on whiohinformation is most needed, and theyhave a fair idea as to where the information is to be found.The officers of the association were:President, D. M. Frcst, of Garden City;secretary, E. B. Cowgill, of Topeka;treasurer, J. F. Greenlee, of Hutchinson;vice presidents, G. W. Clements, MartinMohler and II. V. Hinckley (consultingengineer).Messrs. Frcst, Cowgill and Hinckley,were re-elected for another year. L. A.Bigger, of Hutchinson, was elected e acre tary and treasurer; J. E. Frost, G. W.Clements and W. B. Sutton, were electedvice presidents.Daring the two days and evenings anexcellent course of lectures and shorttalks were delivered, touching on nearlyevery point concerning irrigation theoriesand practice. The president being absent by reason of his own sickness, hisannual address was delivered by proxy.George Q. Cannon, president of theMormon church, presided Friday 'aftercoon, and at night lectured on "Povertyto Independence Mormon Progresson the Salt Lake Desert." Among thecthtr excellent, papers tad speechesnra tha follcrbg: "Ciorr ji cl EicraWaters," William Tweedale; "IrrigationAdvantages and Errors," J. S.Sherman; "Forreatry and Irrigation,"E. D. Wheeler (9tate forrester); "Strawberries by Irrigation," B. F. Smith;"The Duties of Kansas to Herself," H.V. Hinckley; "One Year of IrrigationAgitation," E. R. Mosas; "Kansas Agriculture and Irrigation," F. D. Coburn;"Duty of the Fedaral Government," J.L. Bristow; "State Legislation Needed,"J. W. Gregory; "Homes for the Million,"J. S. Emery; "Apples by Irrigation,"Henry Booth; "The Irrigated Home,"I. M. Piokering; "The Water Supply,"E. B. Cowgill; "Pumping Machinery,"Ira C Hubbell, of Fairbanks, Morse &Co.; "Labor and Irrigation," J. F. Todd;"Practical Irrigation How Obtained,"F. M. Clarke, of Fort Worth, Tex.; "ThePeople's Heritage," W. E. Smythe, ofIrrigation Age; "Irrigation in Very AridRagions," Governor Prince of NewMexico.Governor Lewstling and Governorelect Morrill were on the program foraddresses, but both sent regrets at beingunable to attend. Tha members of theassociation were very much in tha minority when the crowd assembled.Nearly every county in the state wasrepresented by one or more persons, andas a consequence of the deep interesttaken in the movement the membersnipis now much larger than before. GeorgeM.Munger, of Greenwood county, andothers who were there looking for information, but whose names were not onthe program, answered calls to speak.The machinery exhibit was a profitable feature of the convention, both tothose who were there looking for thelatest improvements in that kind of machinery and to the enterprising manufacturers who took advantage of the occasion to show a particular test of theirimplemsnts. The exhibit consisted ofpumps, windmills and engines, in working order on the bank of the rivar closeto the convention hall Some of the ex.hibitors drew water from wells whileothers drew from the channel of theriver. The supply of water was not whatthey should have had, but it was not soscarce as to prevent them from showingthe capacity of their machines. TheAdvocate will notice these machinesand their manufacturers in later issues.THX INEVITABLE XXS0LUTI05S.A convention these days without resolutions would not know how to ad j sum.In this case the demands and declarations adopted are of considerable inter-eat since they are likely to be heardfrom again in both the state and national legislatures. They are as follows:Ths Kansas SUte Irrigation associationia eonYfintion assembled submits for theoossidarssion of all eosoernsd, the follow.Icji ...taction l, we nan win tzuzztaicn i&oCorzvai on psjs t.AVOID EXPERIMENTSBATS THE PQ3TM ASTER GENERALU HIS LAST EEPOST.The Old Way Is Good Eaough Per Him.Opposad to Frae Delivery inRural Districts.WASHrsroTOJC, Nov. 25. PostmasterGeneral W. 8. Bissell has submitted tothe president his annual report for theyear ending June 80. He briefly outlines the policy in the department inthe following:"In general I would recommend thatthe first and most important thing to bedone is to raviaa the law as to second-class matter bo as to place the posteddepartment immediately upon a selfsustaining basis."Second Avoid expensive experiments like the postal telegraph, ruralfree delivery, etc."Third Develop the postal serviceon existing lines of administration, viz:Extend free delivery in cities that nowenjoy it, accord it to towns already entitled to it under the law, quiokan railroad transportation."Fourth Ravise and reclassify organization of the railway mail serviceand reclassify clerks in postefficea."Fifth Provide for distriot supervision of all postal affairs by appointment cf expert postal officials fromclassified service, as recommended in mylast annual report."Mr. Biesell first discusses ithe effect ofcontinued depression upon the postalrevenues and says: "When ; adversebusiness conditions prevail an ordinarybusiness establishment may overcomethem in part by economies of management and retrenchment in expediturts.Not so, however, with the pcstofHce establish U the government. It cannot and snould not stop to consider littleeconomies. Its duties and obligationsto tbe publio become at once intensifiedand enlarged. The revenue for theyear was $75,C80,479; expenditures $34,324,414, leaving a deficit of $9,243,935,The eatimates for the current yearending June 30, 1895, are: Revenue, $84,427,743; expenditures, $90,399,485; deficiency, $5,971,737. The estimates submitted to the sscrstary of the treasuryfor the next fiscal year are: Revenue,986.907,407; expenditures, $91,059,283; defidency, $i,151,876. "This annual deficiency," the postmaster general says,"could be overcome by the increase cfpostal rates, but he docs not believe thisadviiabb. Esonomy has been practiced,but nevertheless, great core has beentaken that it should cot effect the c ISchacy cf ths ssrvica. Tha eeoncmlaihrra ccrrtsd tzzlxij ia ra-bitiag extracts for mail and transportation, andin the cost and amount of supplies; alsoin the abrogation of seven of tha elevensteamtbip subsidy contracts whioh willmean a total saving in the tan years ofthe contracts1 life of $14,431,325."Mr. Bisaall recommends tha experimental free delivery projects should bediscontinued and thinks that free delivery in rural districts ii not needed ordesired by the people. Both of these promts were originated by his predecf sjor.He refers to the war made by the department on lottery schemes passingunder the name "bond investment companies" and lays it has been waged successfully. He recommends the enactment cf laws covered in bills now pending before congress for tha further suppression of lotteries.The Postmaster General does not favor the pcstal telegraph, a system advocated by his predecessor. The conditions in this country, he says, are suoh aswould enormously increase the large deficit. He takes as example the system inGreat Britain, whioh is a comparativelysmall territory, etd shows that thepostal telegraph entails a total annualless of about 2 million dollars. Hepoints out that in a country where thaterritory is so large the ccat cf a postaltelegraph would far exceed any possiblereceipts or benefits.Mr. Bizaell gives the following dailyaverage business of the department,whioh shows the vastneea of ths postalservio:Number of miles of post route run.... 1.100,006Number of stamps manufactured 8,300.000Numbe. of envelope manufactured... MO'VXX,Number of pontal card manufactured 1JWO.0OONumber of piece mailed 15,700,000Number of letters mailed 7,400.000Number of p.eces of mall matter distributed and redistributed by railway potal clerks 27,5CO,000Number of pieces handled in dead letter office 24,000Dally transactions In money order business $1,100,000Dp lly expenses , ZilflvQThe postmaster general believes incivil service in thepoitofQ department.He says: "If the system has producedsuoh good results in the clerical force of -the department, it ia reasonable to inquire whether something like ft couldnot be applied with id vantage to thelower grades of postmasters."That Iniquitous Bond Baalnesj.WAsauaTON, Nov. 24. In conformitywith his circular, dated November 13,1894, the secretary of the treasury today opened the bids whioh had beensubmitted for a new bond Issueof 50 million dollars UnitedStates 5 per cent, bonds, to beardate of November 1, 1894, and redeemable in com at the pleasure of thegovernment after ten years from thedale cf blue. This action cf tbe secretary is taken under 4he authority contained in the act cf ccxgms, approvedJanuary 14, 1S75, tatitltd "An net to